Cajun shrimp. If you come here, you almost have to order this dish. I haven't been to too many Cuban restaurants, but if they all have this dish, I'll try them all! The cajun shrimp has a very unique taste, which is what makes it so wonderful and delicious! The sauce is thick so make sure you soak your bread all up in it. Mmm... I was so mesmerized by this dish that I forgot what else I ate. I do, however, remember the sangria! Cajun shrimp and sangria. Perfect combo! One thing I was a little afraid of was their decor. I'll admit it. read more

I keep coming back to Cha Cha Cha's because of their cajun shrimp, seafood paella and killer sangria-- by killer I mean I get buzz off of one glass of these delicious babies. The time before last was pretty much the only decent time I've been there. By that I mean no rude hostess or bread nazi. I'm not going to get into the food because we already all know that any and everything on the menu is great and will not fail to deliver but would it kill them to give better service?? It was almost 9 o'clock on a Sunday night and we had a party of 6. As usual, only four was present and the hostess said she can't seat us until we were all here. While that is pretty standard I just want to point out that NOBODY ELSE WAS WAITING. Had we walked in with a party of just 4, we would've been seated in that exact table immediately. To be fair, she wasn't exactly rude but I just didn't understand why we couldn't have been seated when nobody else was waiting. Despite of mediocre service, I'll still be back. Just wish that they'd raise the bar on the service to be on par with their amazing food. read more

Its simple to stimulate your taste buds and activate your dance beat, dine at Cha Cha Cha. As festive as its name suggest, Cha Cha Cha serves flavorful food that represents flavors from Caribbean, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. Its not a surprise that customers would over look their mile long wait list. The triple crown offerings of delicious well-priced tapas, high-energy atmosphere, and perky sangria creates a loyal following. Ambiance. Located in the colorful Haight district, one step into the restaurant will transfer patrons to a Latin infused eatery. Don't be overwhelmed by the long wait, instead salsa your way to the bar and order a pitcher of sangria, a Spanish wine punch flavored with fruits, at their minuscule bar. Reminiscent of a rock concert, the noise level makes intimate conversation impossible. Despite a raucous environment, the urban looking kind wait staff will meet your needs. Adorned altars devoted to saint gods of Santeria provide a sense of funky charm that matches wells with exotic dishes. Despite the loud noise, patrons can hear the clanging of pots and pans as chefs busily cook delights in their open kitchen. Food. Patrons are welcomed by a basket of bread and tortilla chips. Bypassing the entrée options, I dive into the strongly suggested tapas to enhance the festive spirit. Meant to be shared, tapas have been known as the "Spanish dim sum." Fried till golden brown, the fried calamari (l-$6.75,d-$8) pairs well with the creamy garlic aioli. Tender black mussels (l-$6.75,d-$8.75) steamed in a saffron broth with onions for crunch moistens the palate. For a tangy citrus surprise, the ceviche (poached assorted seafood, in spicy lime vinaigrette served over a bed of mixed greens,l-$7.25,d-$8.75) cools the palate. Served in a iron skillet, the under seasoned Cajun shrimp (l-$7.25,d-$9) bathes in spicy milky cream sauce great for dipping in bread. Mushrooms sautéed in olive oil, garlic, and sherry make a great subtle vegetable starter (l-$6,d-$7.75). Skip the house spring mix salad (greens served with coconut vinaigrette dressing-l-$4.75,d-$6), it lacks unique appeal and is merely an assembly of indgredients. For an inventive contrast of sweat and savory, caramelized fried plantans (sweet tropical banana,l-$6.25,d-$7.50) pairs great with buttery black beans chilled by dallops of sour cream. With a crispy carmalized skin and soft inside, the fried new potatoes (l-$5.25,d-$6.75) receives a flavor boost with the chile aioli. Served with a slight shower of coconut flakes, the caramel flan ($5.75) Owner bio. Owner Leon Pak, credits the success of his restaurant with hard work and a food critique that leading to a reversal of fortunes. In 1953, Pak, of Chinese decent, immigrated to Cuba by himself to assist with his grandfather's Cuban restaurant. As an observant entrepreneur landing on American shores, Pak decided to open a Cuban restaurant in San Francisco since he saw too many competition in the Chinese restaurant industry. Lacking business the first two years, a food critic in 1985 awarded Cha Cha Cha with a five star food review and catapulted his restaurant to instant success. Pak acknowledges that listening to customers is a key to a restauranteur's success such as reducing the level of spiciness in certain dishes. Cha Cha Cha clearly sets the mood for great night out of town. read more

BEST SANGRIA EVER! You MUST get a pitcher when you go here or else you'll kick yourself later. This is one of my favorite restaurants - It's a fun place to go with friends as tapas should be shared so you get to try a little of everything. The one dish I HAVE to have every time I come here is the 'CAJUN SHRIMP' dish. You'll want to ask for extra complimentary bread in order to dip into this orgasmic spicy cajun cream sauce. They don't take reservations so the wait can be on the longer side, but it's totally worth it! You could always start on your sangria at the bar area while you wait. ;) read more

You can never go wrong coming here. I came here yesterday for a late lunch after working up an appetite from my nature walk/hike at Lands End. Everything on the menu is delicious, but here are a few of my MUST HAVES: 1. Sangria 2. Chicken Pillard 3. Plantanos with black beans and sour cream 4. Spicy Shrimp Again, EVERYTHING here is so good, but these are just some of my favorites. So, if you're ever on Haight Street, you better stop here and give it a try. read more

Nice atmosphere, terrible service. CLEANLINESS: 3/5 SERVICE: 1/5 FOOD: 3/5 + Cajun Shrimp + Fried Calamari + Marinated Chicken Wings + Ceviche I've never been here before, and our friend said it was pretty good so we gave it a try. We ordered different dishes because we wanted to try a little bit of everything. The prices are a bit high for the amount of food you get. Some of the flavors were alright, but I think the marinated chicken wings was the only dish that stood out to me. The others were mediocre. When we went, the place was pretty full. From what I saw, only one or two waiters were working (this was on the weekend). This place probably has the worst customer service. The waiter did not come by to check if we were ready to order for about 20-30 minutes right after we sat down. We had to find him. The workers didn't take away our finished dishes and just walked by our table. Water wasn't refilled unless we flagged them down. The waiter just threw the dishes onto the table when placing them. I think this place is overpriced for the quality of their food and especially for the lack of service. read more

This was the first time coming here with my Girls last night... & MOS DEF WILL BE COMING BACK! Once you step inside, the ambiance and decor was just so warm and vintage, which is my type of style. After a couple of rounds of Sangria, you'll take notice of the music they have playing and it just makes you wanna dance while eating lol! Although the place seems cramped, the good service makes you forget about it. Hugh, the host was very friendly and attentive. Instead of waiting 30-45 min. for a table, he seated us right away. Since he was so nice, I hooked him up with my WiFi til the whole time my Girls and I were there; pretty much til it closed. The Tapas and the $25 pitcher of Sangria was sooooo GOOD! We ordered the Cajun Shrimp, which I highly recommend. Chicken Paillard, the grilled chicken seemed a lil bit too dry, but the creamy sauce made up for it. Cha3 Jerk Chicken was good too, it kind of reminded me of adobo. The seafood special (sorry, I don't really remember the name) they had was our favorite, it was like rice, infused and mixed with a combo of scallops, shrimps, muscle, & etc. Everything that we ordered didn't reach over a $100! Really good for a Girls Night Out (: read more

**This is a bar review only. The restaurant's always been a 3.5 to me - tasty food, reasonable prices, but too loud w/spotty service.** "Say Please" - Excuse me? Mr-I'm-a-surly-bartender-with-a-big-fat-stick-of-BIYATCH-up-my-ass? You want me to say WHAT after you've been rude to my group and probably every other patron since we've been here, and I had to ask you for another glass cuz you inconsiderately took away all the extra glasses that came with our pitcher of sangria. I hope you got the message, when I repeated "Can I have another glass, PLEASE" - that I really meant to say, "SUCK MY PROVERBIAL DICK". Your partner for the evening was MUCH cooler than YOU - the tip was meant for HIM... read more

Infamous for its no reservations policy--after you put your name down you can hang at the bar inside, or at Murio's, or at the Alembic...heck, if it's a Saturday you probably have time to grab a movie at the Red Vic. So when the parents made a surprise Monday-night-only visit, I figured that was my best chance. And...oddly, Haight St was as busy as I've ever seen it (foreign tourists awash in cheap dollars, perhaps?), and the wait was still 30 minutes (though they only claimed 20, so be skeptical). But a couple pitchers of Sangria later, lo and behold we had a table. And after that it's smooth sailing--the dishes come out lightning fast and it's totally fine to order more as you go. So...what's all the fuss about? Well for starters it's a surprisingly good deal. The tapas are only $8 on average, and they're all delicious and relatively hearty. Given the crowds, these guys could clearly get away with charging a lot more and still have a full house, so kudos to that. My personal faves were the "sauce-in-a-skillet" dishes: Cajun Shrimp and Chicken Paillard. Tell the waitress to bus in a few loaves of bread; you're going to want to soak up every last drop. Fortunately, my parents aren't quite at the hearing-aid age yet, because it is LOUD in here. So chug that sangria and kick your voice into the otherwise obnoxious "manic & tipsy" mode. You know the one. read more

I finally got to eat here after being turned away oh so many times! I swear every time I wanted to eat here there was a mass of people inside and spilling out onto the sidewalk. Every time I would hear the same thing *we are no longer putting any names on the waiting list* BLAH!!! I was so happy when my friend asked me if I wanted to have an early lunch here on Sunday. I swore to myself that if I got there and it was packed I would take it as a sign and never even try to eat there again. Thankfully that wasn't the case and we had a great meal. There were 4 of us total which lends itself very well to ordering a handful of the tapas to share. It's always tood to be able to taste as many different things as possible and that is what Cha Cha Cha is primarily about. We got the calamari, pork quesadilla, jerk chicken, fried potatoes, and spanish rice with black beans. I could go into each and every dish to describe them individually but let's just say that they were all good. Nothing disappointing about any of them. A great thing about this place is that while they serve great food they don't serve it with attitude, at least not a negative and uninviting one. The place is totally casual. Order yourself a pitcher of sangria for the table, listen to the music they play and just have a good time enjoying good food and great friends. How many places are going to not bat an eye at the table posing for pictures with a Spam Singles packet? read more

It was a fun early-evening dinner with friends at Cha Cha Cha. Thankfully we arrived around 5pm and it wasn't obscenely packed yet, though it definitely reached that point soon thereafter. Regardless, our service was efficient and friendly. I felt like the food came out WAY too quickly, which meant that most of it had been sitting around for quite awhile. Definitely true for the wings and sauces with the shrimp and paillard. The pork quesadilla was yummy. Far from healthy or irresistible but Cha Cha Cha is affordable, interesting, and fun. read more

WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE i have ever experienced in SF! The rude male who greeted us at the front must have been on a good one that day because he was the biggest asshole ever! After FINALLY greeting us (he had to finish up his conversation with the girls in the back first) he acted like we inconvenienced him by walking in (to the nearly empty) place. When he greeted us, he asked if we would be drinking only or intended to eat as well. We said we weren't sure, assuming that was enough of an answer for the prick, but instead, he challenged us ever so rudely by saying, "so what is it, you going to eat or just drink?" I explained to him again that we wanted to drink but might decide to eat. We were on vacation, relaxing and really did not want this asshole grilling us. He then informed us if we wanted to eat the kitchen was not opened for another 15 minutes, we said sure that's fine can we see menus while we drink and he said, "so you do want to eat then" very catty and arrogant. Well fucker, if I knew what I wanted I would have told you! He then sat us, a group of 6 in the back sitting on a mini counter than was opposite the bar. I asked for menus so we can look and he said well if you want to eat you can't eat there you have to sit in the front. By this time, we figured fuck this place, we all used their VERY DIRTY bathroom, and then peaced out. As I was walking out I let the douchebag know he lost 6 customers and that he was an asshole. He smiled and laughed. Fuck this guy! Sad because we really wanted to have a good experience and as someone who was with 5 other Elite yelpers, he really ruined the CHA CHA CHA experience for us! read more

Cha Cha Cha - Cool looking place but rude staff - Caribbean Near Me - San Francisco, California

Tapas and Sangria are the perfect way to start off your night. Add vinyl table cloths, decorative lights and random wall hangings and you will sink right into Cha Cha Cha's fun vibe. It's loud and you will probably wait for a table, but the service is pretty quick. The Sangria is sweet, fruity and perfect to share with your table. Moving onto the food, the best way to order is tapas style so everyone can try a bit of each dish. The food is pretty hearty with sides of black beans, wild rice, and fried potatoes. Small plates of steamed mussels, scampi and sauteed mushrooms are pretty good. Seriously the mushrooms are a must, I am still craving the buttery garlic flavor. Good, fun and near a lot of bars on Haight. read more

What is there to like about Cha Cha Cha? The Black Mussels. The sauce is so good. Dip your bread in it. It's money baby! The Cajun Shrimp. The sauce is so good. Dip your bread in it. It's so money! Jamaican Jerk Chicken. Tasty. So so money. Warm Spinach Salad. Green.... Like the color of money... Also, the Fried Calamari and Sauteed Mushrooms is... money. Sangria. Money. Final thoughts?? Mony Mony... read more

My first trip to this location of Cha Cha Cha was pretty much what I expected from visits to the Mission location. Insanely crowded and boisterous, with killer sangria. I don't usually eat much at Cha Cha Cha though, so I'm not used to a two hour wait for a table, or a 40 minute wait for a seat at the bar for food. As usual, the sangria was fantastic, but the food was only okay. We split tons of food: ceviche - a hit with me, fresh and tangy Cajun prawns - overcooked, but the sauce was good plantains and black beans - standard pork quesadilla - just okay Maybe it's because I typically eschew carbs these days, but my favorite thing (aside from the sangria and the company) was the sourdough bread with butter. read more

This place has 766 reviews Every time I come here it's wonderful food . Extremely inexpensive. And Sangria that makes me very young again, like 18 for forever. While I sit at this place with friends I ask myself ? Sex and Love are ... And people and family are... People are soft and hard ... People are a lttle crazy and very nutty... And altogether goofy. So there you have my last ten minutes. read more

A full Jun, is a happy Jun. And a happy Jun wants to get up to do the cha-cha after eating all the Caribbean tapas here at Cha Cha Cha. I used to be obsessed (kind of still am) with this Caribbean place near where I live in Santa Monica, CA called Cha Cha Chicken but whoaaaaaa was I missing out on the real deal. This has got to be one of the best Caribbean places I have ever been to and one of my all time favorites in San Francisco! I mean is it just me or is it the Sangria talkin' here?! This place gets packed and does not take reservations. We had a group of 8 people and waited only about 20-25 minutes on a Saturday night when we were told the wait was going to be 45 minutes to an hour. Cha-Ching! Already a win for Cha Cha Cha. We didn't mind the wait though because we utilized our time and got liquored up at the bar -- pitchers and pitchers of Sangria. Trust me, you can't go wrong. Ok, now on to the important stuff. FOOD. There are so many delicious tapas plates you HAVE to try. My first tip, do NOT come here on a date unless you and that one other person is able to finish everything. I loved coming in a big group so we ordered a handful of different dishes and were able to try a little bit of everything. If you find yourself here in a smaller group or a date, the must tries are the Chicken Paillard, Chicken Jerk and the Fried New Potatoes -- it comes with this amazing secret sauce that might give you a foodgasm. Other dishes that came extremely close to the top 3 -- Cajun Shrimp (oh-em-eff-gee, so effing good), sauteed mushrooms (to die for) and the Chicken Wings (Um, I'll take 10 more please). We also got a few dishes of the plantains (classic Caribbean, how can you not) and the Spanish Rice and Beans which made for an excellent side dish and filler to eat along side all the delicious meat. Everything else was just the cherry on top. The ambiance, the friendly service and the Sangriaaaa! TIPS - Ask to have them bring out the Chicken Paillardm Chicken Jerk and Fried New Potatoes first. They brought these out last and we were SO full already from all the other dishes that we didnt get to enjoy these dishes as much. - Free bread refills. These are crucial. You will see why pertaining to my next tip. - Once you are finished with your dishes like the Cajun Shrimp and Chicken Paillard, do NOT let them take away the dish. There is sooo much leftover delicious sauce that you can use your *free refillable bread* to dip into and enjoy....every. last. drip. of the sauce. (Yeah, I was that guy). I may find myself planning more frequent SF trips now.....Until next time, Cha Cha Cha. read more

I've been coming to Cha cha chas sporadically for awhile now. The Cajun shrimp keeps me coming back, and that's all that's getting me to come back. The service here is ridiculously horrid. And this is from multiple dining experiences, not just once or twice. Everytime I have a craving, I get so excited to come here, then when I actually get here I'm reminded why I haven't visited for so long. ALL of the servers here don't seem to care about the customers, they're not attentive or friendly and they basically give off a "I don't give a shit attitude." For example, this last time we dined in, we were ready for our check but the servers were crowded around their registers not working and not paying attention. Since we couldn't get a server's attention, we asked the nearest busboy (the old guy with curly hair that wears a headband) for the check hoping he would tell one of the servers. He nodded at us when we asked for the check but when he finished cleaning the table and walked past all the servers, he didn't say ANYTHING to them. The food is pretty good here. But the service keeps me from coming back as much as I would like. read more

My first time dining at Cha Cha Cha was last Wednesday. My bf and I arrive around 6pm and was seated ASAP without any wait. but i did notice when it got around 7ish the restaurant was packed. We ordered the calamari and Jamaican Jerk Chicken. The calamari was golden not too greasy and delicious. The Jerk Chicken was moist and flavorful with the rice. We also got the fish special, salmon with salsa Verde, squash and veggies. I loved it. The salmon was kinda small but i thought the portion was just right because i was already getting full from the calamari & chips and salsa. We didn't order the Sangria even though everyone raves about it on yelp. But next time i will order the Sangria! I had a great experience dining at Cha Cha Cha. The service was great especially when the restaurant got busy. Our waiter was very attentive and came by to check on us if we needed anything. waiter: how is the food? right amount? me: yes! this is my first time here. i love it waiter: yea, the people around the neighborhood gets addicted to the place, they keep coming back. Our meal (2 plates & 1 Special with 1 diet coke) cost us around $30 for two people which isnt bad at all. If you love trying new things with plenty of flavors and variety Cha Cha Cha is the place to be. Remember Cha Cha Cha serves small Tapas plates. you may think the portions are small due to the plate size, don't overestimate yourself and your stomach! read more

I have NEVER understood why so many people like this place. 1) The food is NOT good 2) The service sucks 3) The place is often crowded--How I ask? 5) Loud 6) Not cheap; Pretty expensive for what you get actually I think that people here just get drunk on mediocre sangria and then rave about it because they can't remember that it wasn't that good. read more

CHA CHA CHA = YUM YUM YUM :) Sangria is my sh*t, I'll be back for more! My sister and I shared 1/2 pitcher for $14 and got 3 glasses each. So if there are 2 of you and your thinking of getting a glass each which is going to cost you $10 I recommend you just go for the 1/2 pitcher for $4 extra dollars and get 2 extra glasses for each of you. My aunt, my sister and myself shared an order of cajun shrimp, chicken paillard, sauteed mushrooms, fried platanos maduros and cha3 jerk chicken. The cajun shrimp were really good, one of my favorite dishes of the night. The sauce is great for dipping your bread into, we ended up getting 2 more orders of the bread just to dip in the delicious sauce. The chicken paillard was not something I would have ordered for myself, it wasn't bad but I am not big on mustard and I could really taste the mustard in the dish. But my sister and aunt really enjoyed it. The mushrooms, my favorite dish. There's so much flavor in those little things and also, the extra sauce is good for dipping your bread into =D (Don't know if you noticed but I like to dip my bread.) The fried platanos maduros were so sweet. They serve them with black beans and sour cream, I wasn't feeling that. We asked for the beans and sour cream on the side and good thing we did, the because fried platanos were good all on their own. I didn't try them with the beans and sour cream but my sister and aunt did and they didn't like it. The cha3 jerk chicken was really good but I expected for it to have some kind of spiciness to it and there was nothing! Next time I will have to ask if they can put a little more heat to it. No room for dessert after that but no worries, I will be back and hopefully very soon! read more

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Do you like a TAPAS? Do you like music with rhythm? Do you like an environment that is full of people with personality and fun? Well Cha Cha Cha is the place for you! It's sooooooo good that even on a Sunday evening it is bumpin'! My cousins, sister, and I went and it was fab-u-lous because our waiter was super nice, helpful, and quick to refill our water. Such intentional efficiency! The cool part about this place was the culinary twist of Carribbean inspired tapas. Sooooo delicious. My favorite dish: Plantains with melted cheese over beans. Believe it or not it is a nice contrast between the sweetness of the plantains and the saltiness of the beans. Yuuuuum. My favorite drink: Their homemade sangrias. Best part is eating the leftover fruit. Delicious! read more

A boutique Spanish tapas restaurant in the heart of Haight district. Deco is very archaic. Color tends to be on the cool coloring end. Small tapa dishes are generally well made and are in good portions. There are lunch specials during lunch hours which help keep the bill in check. If you are looking for a quick but good Spanish bites, especially for weekend brunch, near the area, this is a place for you. read more

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Pros - Sangria! Cons - Sometimes long waits - small restaurant. Parking. I had so many good memories here. Cha Cha Cha is great place to entertain guest from out of town. The food is tapas style, so you would have to order at least 2 orders per person in order and share them all in order to get full. Top it of with a pitcher or two of sangria and you are set! The cajan shrimp and chicken wings are my favorites. Dip your bread in the sauce and you have a party in your mouth. The wing are served really hot (not spicy but it has a salty sweet taste kinda mild. If you are in san francisco there are more than one location, but this is the original location on Haight st. Parking is limited - so park in the neighborhood. I definitely recommend to check this place out! read more

Q: Why is this place called "Cha Cha Cha"? A: It is the sound you hear in your head after drinking 3 glasses of sangria. Jess and Paul, my Boston Yelper friends, were insisted on coming here despite their horrible suggestion of going to Steps of Rome in North Beach. So I was a bit skeptical of their SF judgment at that point. I think their strategy here is to get you drunk so that any mediocre good tastes good. But actually, my lunch special lamb shank, beans, and salted plantains were quite good ($9.50). The bar was apparently used as a waiting area. Too bad they don't allow party of one to order at the bar area for food :( Restroom available (esp after all that sangria)! BUT I gotta pee again after walking on a block on the Haight. Damn alcohol as a diuretic *shakes fists*. read more

Another tapas spot in SF. I truly can't get sick of them. It's something about the atmosphere and the people that go to these spots that I truly love. The loved the decor of this spot. It's very Latin inspired. An order of a pitcher or sangria is an absolute must! Everything we ordered was very good. The cajun shrimp was my favorite and seems to be the favorite of many other yelpers. We had to order the ceviche because I love seafood with lime juice. The seafood was tender and very fresh. We also ordered the marinated chicken wings. This was surprisingly good. I was expected the average chicken wing with some sauce, but the sauce made the dish ten times better. Another tapas spot crossed off the list! I heart SF. read more

Hubby has wanted to come here for a long time (precisely the Mission location, but I saw the Haight one had better reviews). Restaurants that don't take reservations bother me. Oh well, at least the Haight is interesting, and we killed our 1 hour wait relatively easily. The sangria is pretty good - it tastes like it has very little alcohol, but it did give me a headache later... so I guess it did have some. The tapas were a little disappointing given our high Yelp expectations. The plantains were not as sweet as I would've liked, and I didn't feel like the flavors of our other dishes were very rich. The bread pudding was also mediocre. Overall, I didn't feel like the food was very tapas-like. Portions were pretty big (which I guess is a good thing) but I thought the whole point of tapas were small dishes so you could try a bit of everything. I doubt we will be back of our own accord, but I wouldn't mind. read more

Today was the last day of class of our first semester of law school, and as such, an appropriate night for a dinner out on the town. My roommates and I hit up Cha Cha Cha for the occasion. As soon as we stepped into the restaurant, I already knew I liked the place. Random plants and trees all over the place, Christmas lights strung around the branches, a warm and cozy space. We ordered a small pitcher of sangria and four plates to share - the potatoes with some sort of aioli, the jerk chicken, the fried calamari, and the plantains with some kind of mushy black bean schtuff on the side. The sangria was yummers, and I thoroughly enjoyed each dish. The portions were pretty generous, and I was quite full after all of that. Between the three of us, it came out to about $20/person after tax and tip, which is decent for this amount of food. I'd come back here again, for the atmosphere, the froods, and drinks. A solid choice! read more

I will never go here again. When we put in our name the girl told us 30 minutes, which was fine, but we weren't actually seated until about 50 minutes later. She kept telling us we were one or two tables away and then sat 6 tables ahead of us. When we were finally seated, the bus boy, who we thought was our waiter, brought us menus and said he would be back. 20 minutes later the waiter/bus boy finally comes around after dancing all nasty with the hostess in the corner and kising her, and says "Oh I'm not your waiter, they should be coming soon." At that point, I was so hungry and angry that we walked out and will never return. read more

You gotta go here if you're in the Haight. Especially at night. Good times. The red hues, religious decor, sangria by the pitcher, platanos. I feel right at home. Love it. read more

Delicious tapas, sangria, and a very friendly wait staff. Went on a Sunday night and was seated immediately. After discussing what the waiter recommended, we ordered the chicken wings, cajun shrimp, chips and guacamole, fired calamari and a half pitcher of sangria, All the food was delicious. The shrimp and wings were both in a strong & flavorful sauce. The calamari was fried to perfection and came with a vert tasty lemon aioli. The half pitcher was perfect for two (ended up with extra) and I highly recomendded. Waiters brought water immediately and continued to fill up through the night. read more

+Awesome sangria! I almost gave this place an extra star purely for the sangria. +Pretty good food (not stellar, but decent) BIG NEGATIVE: SERVICE Maybe it was just the one waiter, but I do not appreciate getting mediocre service and then having a waiter come up to me to ask me why I didn't tip him more. And then proceed to tell me that "when I don't have enough money, I just don't go out." Well if my tip isn't good enough for you, I would like it back. read more

I've been going to Cha Cha Cha for too many years to count, and it's so sad to see it this way. No more chips and salsa when you finally get your table, no bread unless you ask for it, nobody cleans the bar tables of their pools of sangria and the worst of all, the food quality is down the drain. We started with four favorites. The calamari was so seriously overcooked that had become hard nuggets you couldn't spear with a fork, and it tasted bitter. The fried potatoes with aoli were tasteless and unsalted until you got to the end of the plate which had so much salt it was ridiculous. Did they salt the plate and then add the potatoes? The sauteed mushrooms oddly had nicely sauteed buttons, and some overcooked limpy ones, like someone had added last night's leftovers to the pan and reheated with some new mushrooms. Lucky for us, the cajun shrimp was still good and cooked nicely with plenty of cream sauce. And the sangria is still good but I might have to down a whole pitcher to enjoy the food again. read more

The sangria like everyone says is fantastic, and the soft calamari with the creamy butter... mmmm!!! A good place to eat and hang out. Just go for those two items, down the pitcher and walk the streets!!! read more

If a trip to Cha Cha Cha ends midday with your roommate stumbling along Haight, clutching in one hand a randomly bought cactus, & in the other hand a goblet from Indiana Jones' Last Crusade, I'd call it a win! Get a pitcher of sangria, just do it. Everything here is really tasty and extremely addictive after you've had a bit of their sangria. For lack of better words, shits strong! & we didn't even order a full pitcher. The main dishes to order include the cajun shrimp in delicious cream sauce with a spicy kick, mussels, and garlicky sauteed mushrooms. Oh and don't forget the bread that every buzzed person is trying to mop up the sauces with. I also enjoyed the fried potatoes in its thicker sauce, you're not here to eat healthy anyways. Portions are right, price is good, and service is friendly, just don't come during peak hours otherwise expect to wait forever. read more

This was a super pleasant and fun spot -- really enjoyable. Not life-changing, but a delight. Came in on a Saturday early evening and got seated right away. SF's vaccine mandate was easy to navigate and I love that extra layer of safety. We ordered a half pitcher of sangria -- I'm not really a sangria girl but it was fun and got us both pretty wobbly pretty fast (we also drank it on empty stomachs so not unexpected hah). We shared the jerk chicken and the vaca frita and both were really enjoyable dishes. The jerk chicken...I expected to be spicy? Not spicy at all, but really tender and really good flavor. Comes with white rice which mixes well. Might have gotten some under-cooked rice bits in there but worse things have happened. The vaca frita was also quite tender and juicy and paired really well with the black beans it came with. I almost kind of wished we had hot sauce for that because I wanted just a little more flavor, but it was definitely pleasant. read more

Ok... I need the recipe for their mushrooms. I like to think I'm a great cook. When I cook I generally look at a bunch of recipes for what I'm going to make, then kind of figure out what I like and don't like about the different recipes and make my own version. (This is why I'm not the best baker.) I've "made my own" horrible version of this recipe numerous times. I've followed exact recipes similar to this recipe. I can't get it right. HELP! I love them and want to eat them whenever I want. Other items you should order: Red Sangria (best sangria I've ever had) Calamari (just cause I love calamari) Potatoes (fun to dip the calamari in the sauce) Ceviche (a bit citrusy but delicious none-the-less) Mussels Cajun Shrimp Fried Plantains Ok... I've just listed half the menu, which is why it gets 5 stars. Everything else is still really good, but the above are my favorite dishes. Fairly loud and lots to look at. Good place to come for a first date if you are worried about conversation, cause you'll only have to think of half as much to say since you'll be repeating everything at least once. Plus good area to walk around after and grab drinks if you decide you actually want to hear what they have to say! No reservations, gets busy so come early. Also if driving come even earlier to find parking. So if you are driving, come 2 hours before you want to eat to allow for parking, waiting, and ordering time. :-) j/k! It shouldn't take that long if you come before 6pm. Average wait time after 6pm, appx 15 min - 1 hour. If coming with only 2 you can probably get a seat at the bar. read more

I've never had Cuban food before, so I didn't know what to expect when my friend took me here for a light snack (we had other plans for dinner that night). I had read several previous reviews about Cha Cha Cha before and all I was looking forward to really, was their famous Cajun shrimp and their very popular sangria--other than that, I didn't know what else I wanted to try. My friend and I arrived sometime between 4pm and 5pm, which was when they were 'closed.' There were still patrons in the restaurant and the bar area; however, their kitchen was closed for an hour for their transition from lunch to dinner. We could have been seated, but we opt to shop on Haight Street instead and then we came back at 5pm and were immediately seated and handed menus. It didn't take long for us to decide what we wanted, but it did take the waiter awhile to get to us. Of course, we ordered the Cajun shrimp (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/kOYj2sGMZnyC1lU-_Uw5fA?select=IP3NRHdQ6T7bvyZTFDhbDg) and a small pitcher of sangria. We also ordered the seafood paella (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/kOYj2sGMZnyC1lU-_Uw5fA?select=827an11RqudWE8olTyWg0w). The Cajun shrimp definitely had a very unique taste. The sauce that the shrimp came in, was very thick and milky in viscosity. It had a hint of Cajun flavor, but the rest of the sauce was way too buttery for my liking. On a lighter note, the seafood paella was great! It was very well seasoned and it came with a good proportion of seafood, sausage and rice--I would definitely order it again. I would also definitely order the sangria again. The sweetness and tartness of the wine and fruit were excellent. Beware to those who have never had sangria before though! One minute I was sipping on the sangria, all fine and dandy, and then the next minute I was super buzzed! Cha Cha Cha was very flamboyantly decorated. The tables were sort of awkwardly positioned, but the owner(s) did the best they could with the very little space that they had to work with. One of the tables was literally barricaded into the corner, so when the guests were ready to leave, we had to get out of our seats to let them out. Other than that minor detail, Cha Cha Cha was wonderful and I recommend giving them a try. read more

Cha Cha Cha - Cajun Shrimp. - Caribbean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Cha Cha Cha did not disappoint. After waiting a long hour and twenty minutes, the girlfriend and I were finally seated in a very cozy table in the center of the restaurant. Cha Cha Cha was packed, even the bar had no walking room. Luckily, stores on Haight close late. We walked around the neighborhood and into various stores to pass the time. We weren't going to get their famous Sangria but caved. The drink packs a punch that doesn't hit you until later. Off the tapas menu, we ordered the Cajun Shrimp, Fried Calamari, and Fried New Potatoes. The only raciones we ordered was the Cha3 Jerk Chicken. The dish that really impressed me was the Cajun Shrimp because of the spicy cream sauce. I wish that I paid for extra sauce instead of getting the calamari. I dipped everything in that sauce -- potatoes, calamari, bread, and rice. The fried potatoes were crispy on the outside and creamy inside, which went perfectly for the chile pasilla aioli. Fried calamari did not make any impression. Jerk chicken was addicting but I was too full from the tapas to even finish it. I would come here again for late night drink and fried, fatty snacks. What I recommend: Cajun Shrimp read more

I am in taste bud heaven here! Food: It is hard to believe that anything bad in the world exists when I'm getting my noms on with the Cajun Shrimp here - and the shrimp isn't even the best part! I love soaking pieces of bread in the cajun shrimp sauce until every last bit is gone. Other great dishes I've tried include the Fried New Potatoes with aioli, mahi mahi soft tacos, pork soft tacos, and sauteed mushrooms. Drinks: The sangria here is soooooo good. Ration about half to one pitcher per person :) Dessert: I love the triple threat chocolate mousse with raspberry compote drizzled all over. The flan here is pretty solid too and that's coming from someone who is not a fan of flan at all. Staff: Friendly, super helpful, and they make awesome recommendations. You are in good hands here! I'm almost a bit dismayed that this place is so easy for me to get to because I can already feel myself food binging here on a frequent basis. read more